NFL picks Week 5: It's gonna be a great day; Rams aren't playing

If you've been following along, you know it has been an exhausting, and yet an exhilarating weekend for yours truly.

In Philly until 1:30 Friday night/Saturday morning.

Home around 3. To bed around 4:30. Up at 8.

Radio show at 9. Leave for Bucknell at 10:45. Get to Bucknell (thanks to horrible I-80 traffic jam) at 1:45.

Leave Bucknell at 6. Home from Bucknell after gas/food stops at 9.

Sleeping like a baby at 10 (never even bothered with end of ALCS Game 1 or Nebraska/Ohio State on TV).

So, now it's Sunday morning and I feel pretty good. Still tired, but not in desperate need of Red Bull or Starbucks coffee like I was on Saturday.

Someone on here, The Observer I believe, took a shot at my picks the other night sayng that I don't even know my own team. Yes, I picked against the Cardinals in the NLCS, and thought they'd lose 7-1 in Game 5.

There's a method behind my madness. It's called reverse psychology.

If you notice, I pick against my Rams, too, every week. But reverse psychology doesn't work for the Rams. Nothing works. I pick them to lose big, and they lose big. They stink.

So, I will enjoy this NFL weekend more than the previous four because I don't have to wince when either I watch the Rams play or see their score flash on the screen.

The problem is, they were automatic correct picks for me. I am 4-0 in Rams games, but when under .500 in games not involving the Rams. So in that sense, and in that sense only, I will miss the Rams not playing today.

Last week, I was 12-4 outright, 7-9 vs. the spread, 10-5-1 on the over/under totals.

For the year, I am 41-21 outright, 30-31-1 against the spread, 33-27-2 on the totals.

HOME TEAMS IN CAPS

Tennessee (+3) 27, PITTSBURGH 20 -- Over the 39.5 -- Matt Hasselbeck is looking good. Even better than his sister-in-law Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Well, in a football sense.

New Orleans (-6.5) 27, CAROLINA 23 -- Under the 51.5 -- Still not sold on the Saints, especially their defense.

NEW YORK GIANTS (-10) 23, Seattle 17 -- Under the 43 -- G-men wish they could NFC West teams every week.

Philadelphia (-2.5) 38, BUFFALO 17 -- Over the 49.5 -- Eagles now have the spotlight to themselves and they provide comfort to an ailing city still recovering from Black Friday II.

JACKSONVILLE (-2.5) 20, Cincinnati 13 -- Under the 37 -- Only Vegas, Jax and Cincy people will be watching this one.

Arizona (+2.5) 23, MINNESOTA 20 -- Under the 45 -- Turns out all of the people bashing Donovan McNabb over the years were kinda right. Not that Kevin Kolb is much better.

Kansas City (+2.5) 24, INDY COLTS 21 -- Over the 38.5 -- Todd Haley vs. Matt Cassel on the sidelines is more interesting than anything happening on the field in this one.

SAN FRANCISCO (-3) 16, Tampa Bay 14 -- Under the 41.5 -- Is it just me, or can Jim Harbaugh get under your skin?

NEW ENGLAND (-9) 24, New York Jets 20 -- Under the 49 -- Instead of an ALCS to heighten animosities between Beantown and NYC, they have to settle for Mr. Brady vs. Rex.

San Diego (-4) 24, DENVER 17 -- Under the 46 -- Still don't believe in the Chargers.

SUNDAY NIGHT

GREEN BAY (-6) 34, Atlanta 31 -- Over the 53.5 -- NBC gets all of the good ones.

MONDAY NIGHT

Chicago (+5.5) 27, DETROIT 19 -- Under the 47.5 -- What's the world coming to? No "Rowdy Friends" on Monday night, but the Lions? Lions won't have Tony Romo to help them out this week, although Jay Cutler may try.

Current Comments

So much for a dream team more like a nightmare this is the best weekend ever Phillies lose, Eagles lose and best of all the Steelers crush the titans. All this talk about the eagles in the offseason best secondary mike vick this mike vick that signing all the big time free agents. What does all that get you a 1-4 record hahaa